Method and system for connecting wireless handsets with wireline switches

ABSTRACT

A method and system for connecting a wireless handset to a wireline switch in an integrated wireline/wireless telecommunications network having a plurality of access controllers and wireline switches includes a wireless service processor operative to receive identification of a subscriber in response to a call attempt and determine a preferred connection between the wireless handset and one of the plurality of wireline switches based on predetermined data associated with the subscriber. The access controller is operative to connect the wireless handset to one of the plurality of wireline switches based on the preferred connection so as to complete the call attempt.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to methods and systems for connecting wirelesshandsets with wireline switches.

BACKGROUND ART

In a wireline telecommunications network, telephones are physicallyconnected to a specific wireline switch. Call loading is predicted basedon history of voice traffic and number of phones needing connection to aswitch. Therefore, a determination as to how big to make a wirelineswitch or how many switches to provide to serve a given area can easilybe made.

As wireless telecommunications networks integrate with wirelinenetworks, excessive call origination loading to any given wirelineswitch will occur. However, since wireless handsets are mobile, it isdifficult to predict where the handset will be when a subscriberattempts to make a call. Thus, there exists a need for a system forconnecting the wireless telecommunications network with the wirelinetelecommunications network by distributing calls over various wirelineswitches so that the wireline switches will not become overloaded.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a method andsystem for connecting a wireless handset with a wireline switch.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method andsystem for allocating wireless traffic load across multiple wirelineswitches so as to not overload any given wireline switch.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a methodand system for reducing interoffice trunking requirements during calldeliveries among the various wireline switches.

In carrying out the above object and other objects, features, andadvantages of the present invention, a method is provided for connectinga wireless handset to a wireline switch. The method includes receivingidentification of a subscriber in response to a call attempt,determining a preferred connection between the wireless handset and oneof the plurality of wireline switches based on predetermined dataassociated with the subscriber, and connecting the wireless handset toone of the plurality of wireline switches based on the preferredconnection so as to complete the call attempt.

In further carrying out the above object and other objects, features,and advantages of the present invention, a system is also provided forcarrying out the steps of the above described method. The systemincludes a wireless service processor operative to receiveidentification of the subscriber in response to a call attempt anddetermine a preferred connection between the wireless handset and one ofa plurality of wireline switches based on predetermined data associatedwith the subscriber. The system also includes an access controller forconnecting the wireless handset to one of the plurality of wirelineswitches based on the preferred connection so as to complete the callattempt.

The above object and other objects, features and advantages of thepresent invention are readily apparent from the following detaileddescription of the best mode for carrying out the invention when takenin connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a wireline telecommunications networkintegrated with a wireless telecommunications network;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the subscriber profileinformation stored at a Wireless Service Location Register;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the relationship between thewireline switches and Feature Groups as mapped in the Access Controller;and

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the mapping relationship betweenthe physical ports and the Feature Group ports in any given AccessController.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown a schematic diagram of a wirelinetelecommunications network integrated with a wireless telecommunicationsnetwork, denoted generally by reference numeral 10. The wirelinetelecommunications network comprises a plurality of wireline switches12, such as Class 5 (CL5) switches. These switches 12 are typicallyowned and operated by the Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) that provides thewireless telecommunications provider with the interconnection to itsnetwork. The switches 12 are connected to wireline telephones 14, onlyone of which is shown in FIG. 1.

Each of the switches 12 have a plurality of physical ports (not shown)that are referred to as interface Directory Numbers (iDNs) since theyare essentially telephone numbers (lines) provisioned on the Class 5switches 12. These lines are grouped into Feature Groups based on theservices that are provisioned in the respective switch 12, such ascall-waiting, three-way calling, etc.

The switches 12 are also connected among each other via transmissioncircuits so that interoffice trunking between the switches 12 ispossible. Furthermore, the wireline network includes an IntelligentService Control Point (ISCP) 16 for communicating with the wirelessnetwork via Signaling System No. 7 (SS7) signaling, as will be describedin greater detail below.

The wireless network includes processors 18, 20 in the form of AccessManagers (AMs) and Access Controllers (ACs), respectively. The AM 18 andthe AC 20 processors provide all the basic wireless mobility managementfunctionality (i.e., registration, authentication, hand off, etc.) andinclude the Visitor Location Register (VLR) element (not shown). Thefunctions of the Home Location Register (HLR) (not shown) are containedin the AM 20. AM 18 and AC 20 may be implemented in one platform or maybe separate platforms, as shown in FIG. 1. The signaling between AM 18and AC 20 is vendor specific.

AM 18 and AC 20 communicate with a wireless handset 22 via Base Station(BS) 24. BS 24 typically consists of a transceiver (not shown) and anantenna (not shown) for enabling communications to and from the wirelesshandset 22. Furthermore, AC 20 is coupled to the wireline network viawireline interfaces 26. Wireline interface 26 is a digital loop carriersystem interface which conforms to the TR-NWT-000303 technicalrequirements for digital loop carrier systems published by BellCommunications Research. Each of the ACs 18 may be coupled to one ormore switches via wireline interface 26. In addition, each of the ACs 18also has a plurality of ports (not shown) that provide access to themultiple switches 12.

Finally, the system of the present invention includes a third processor28 in the form of a Wireless Service Location Register (WSLR). WSLR 28is in communication with AM 18 and ISCP 16 in order to provide routinginstructions for completing a call connection between wireless handset22 and one of the wireline switches 12. Rather than have the AM 18arbitrarily select a circuit to one of the switches 12, WSLR 28 providesspecific parameters directing the AM 18 and AC 20 to select a specificswitch 12 and port from a specific group of the ports based onpredetermined parameters.

The primary objectives achieved by the WSLR 28 include: 1) assigning anoriginating call to the switch 12 where a subscriber's wireline servicesare provisioned when that switch 12 is equipped with a wirelineinterface 26 to an AC 20; 2) reducing the interoffice trunkingrequirement between switches 12 for call delivery scenarios; and 3)allocating the traffic load across multiple switches 12. Thus, WSLR 28contains and controls data that enables this capability.

WSLR 28 contains profile information for each wireless subscriber andprovides instructions to AM 18 concerning a specific wireline switch 12via a Central Office identification (COid) and a group of possible portsvia a Feature Group identification (FGid) for use by the AM 18 (or AC20) in selecting a specific port for a call. The subscriber profilecontained in the WSLR 28 is exemplified in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2,WSLR 28 may contain a table that cross-references a MobileIdentification Number (MIN) associated with the subscriber's wirelesshandset 22 with the COid of the switch 12 serving the subscriber and theFGid of the features subscribed to by the subscriber. Thus, the WSLR 28knows which switch 12 serves the subscriber's wireline location (i.e.,the subscriber's “home” switch), based on the COid in the profile data,and assigns the call to a Feature Group pool associated with the homeswitch 12 when possible. Preferably, each Feature Group in each servingswitch 12 has common features assigned. That is, Feature Group 1 in allswitches 12 will have the same features, e.g., call waiting and callforwarding, regardless of which switch 12 the particular call isassigned. This way the subscriber profile will only need to maintaindata as to which Feature Group and home switch 12 the subscriber isassociated with.

The WSLR 28 effectively instructs AM 18 to route the call over aspecific wireline interface 26 and, as such, to a specific servingswitch 12.

However, the AM 18 is responsible for selecting an idle port thatsatisfies these conditions. In accomplishing this, AM 18 maintains thereal time Busy/Idle status of the ports with a Feature Group on acall-by-call basis, as shown in FIG. 3. The application in the AM 18contains a mapping of individual switches 12 and Feature Groups toactual ports in the AC 20 along with the immediate Busy/Idle status ofall the ports associated with the particular AC 20. However, the actualimplementation does not require the port assignments to be sequential asshown in FIG. 3. The AM 18, thus, selects an idle port from the group ofports that satisfies the request/instruction from WSLR 28.

The mapping of the port addresses to an appropriate Call Reference Value(CRV) of the associated Feature Group and the mapping of the portaddresses to the appropriate DS1 is provisioned at the discretion of theservice provider. FIG. 4 illustrates a view of how the physical portappearances are mapped to the appropriate CRV and the appropriate DS1 inorder to appear as a call with the correct features on the correctServing Class 5 switch 12. Thus, FIG. 4 is illustrative of thesubscriber being subscribed to Feature Group 2 and for the current callis assigned to physical port #210 associated with serving Class 5 switch#2.

The CRV is an internal identifier used within a typical TR-303implementation and the corresponding wireline switch 12 to identify thenumber of the port being used for a particular call. For example, inFIG. 4 port #210 is “cross-connected” to a CRV. Whenever a call isconnected to port #210 the switch 12 will use the CRV as a way ofidentifying all the messages that go across the wireline interface 26relevant to this port. In the WSLR 28 or the AM 18, the port isidentified by a regular telephone number. A DS1 is a digital facilityconsisting of 24 DSOs (64 kbps) voice channels.

In a call delivery scenario, i.e., a call to the wireless handset 22,incoming calls to the subscriber's handset 22 will be assigned a portthat resides on the subscriber's wireline, or home, switch 12 ifpossible so as to avoid an interoffice trunk connection to anotherswitch 12. For example, if the subscriber's home switch 12 is CL5₂, asshown in FIG. 1, and the WSLR 28 assigns a call to a Feature Group oneither CL5₁ or CL5₃, an interoffice trunk connection between either CL5,or CL5₃ and CL5₂ will be required to deliver the call to the AC 20serving the wireless handset 22. If, however, the home switch 12 doesnot connect to the AC 20 serving the wireless handset 22, then aninteroffice connection cannot be avoided. In this case, the WSLR 28assigns the call to a switch 12 based on other predetermined data, suchas time of day, day of week, predetermined traffic loads, etc. As such,the application in the WSLR 28 is required to maintain in its data a logof the number of active calls (identified by MINs) assigned to any givenswitch 12 associated with the ACs 20 in its universe. The identificationof the switch 12 (i.e., COid) which as assigned the call is returned tothe WSLR 28 from the AM 18 and is updated when the call is released anda call released message is sent by the AM 18 to the WSLR 28.

In order to initiate operation of WSLR 28, the switch 12 receiving theincoming call performs a digit analysis and determines it must query theISCP 16. This is done by setting a “trigger” in the switch 12, insoftware and applications, that instructs the switch 12 to go to theISCP 16 for instructions when someone attempts to terminate a call to aparticular number. The ISCP 16 in turn queries the WSLR 28 to request aport assignment. The WSLR 28 assigns the call to the home switch 12, ifpossible, and a Feature Group associated with the home switch 12 basedon the subscriber's profile (or MIN of the number dialed) as shown inFIG. 2.

This assignment is sent to AM 18, which then assigns a specific portfrom the Feature Group for the call based on the Busy/Idle status ofeach of the ports in the Feature Group. AM 18 then returns thisinformation to the WSLR 28, which in turn transfers this information toISCP 16 for instructing the switch 12 which IDN port to route the call.The switch 12 then sends the call to the AC 20 which has been instructedby AM 18 as to which wireless handset 22 the call is to be delivered to.

If the AC 20 cannot satisfy the WSLR request for a primary route (i.e.,access associated with a Feature Group to the selected switch 12 isunavailable), the WSLR 28 will designate an alternate route multipletimes. In a preferred embodiment, eight retries shall be performed,either by eight WSLR-AC retries, or by the WSLR 28 including the eightpossible route options in a single response message. The preferredembodiment is for the WSLR 28 to provide a series of values to the AM18. It will then be the responsibility of the service provider's trafficengineering group to determine the desired priority switch 12 to beidentified in the message parameter when requesting a port assignment bythe AM/AC and provision that data in the subscriber's profile to beutilized by the port management applications in the WSLR 28.

A call origination scenario is processed in a manner similar to that ofthe call delivery scenario. The handset 22 signals the AM 18 that a callis being made, i.e., the subscriber's digits are sent. The AM 18 queriesthe WSLR 28 for instructions as to which Feature Group and switch 12 toselect. Upon receiving this information, AM 18 instructs AC 20 toprovide a voice channel to the handset 22 and connect the resulting callto a port, from the available corresponding Feature Group ports, to aswitch 12 connected to the AC 20. Thus, a call can be originated fromany Class 5 switch 12 connected to the serving AC 20 since anoriginating call does not require functionality in the home switch. If,however, the subscriber has integrated service, i.e., both wireline andwireless service using a single number, there can be some advantages forrouting the call to the home switch 12 for origination. However, anyswitch 12 is suitable in order to balance traffic loads or obtainappropriate features.

While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described,it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe allpossible forms of the invention. Rather, it is intended that thefollowing claims cover all modifications and alternative designs, andall equivalents, that fall within the spirit and scope of thisinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for connecting a wireless handset to awireline switch in an integrated wireline/wireless telecommunicationsnetwork having a plurality of access controllers and wireline switches,each of the access controllers being coupled to at least one of thewireline switches, the method comprising: receiving identification of asubscriber in response to a call attempt; determining a preferredconnection between the wireless handset and one of the plurality ofwireline switches based on predetermined data associated with thesubscriber; and connecting the wireless handset to one of the pluralityof wireline switches based on the preferred connection so as to completethe call attempt.
 2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein each ofthe access controllers includes a plurality of physical ports forterminating connections between the access controller and associatedwireline switches and wherein determining the preferred connectionincludes determining a preferred wireline switch from the plurality ofwireline switches and a connection port from the plurality of physicalports based on the predetermined data.
 3. The method as recited in claim2 wherein determining the preferred wireline switch comprises: receivingthe identification of the subscriber from one of the wireline switchesin response to a call delivery attempt to the wireless handset; anddetermining a home wireline switch associated with the wireless handsetfrom the plurality of wireline switches based on the predetermined data.4. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein determining the preferredwireline switch comprises: receiving the identification of thesubscriber from one of the access controllers in response to a callorigination attempt by the wireless handset; and determining at leastone wireline switch from a subset of the plurality of wireline switchesbased on predetermined communications traffic data, the subsetcorresponding to the wireline switches actually coupled to the one ofthe access controllers.
 5. The method as recited in claim 2 whereindetermining the connection port includes determining a plurality ofpreferred ports from the plurality of physical ports based on thepredetermined data, the plurality of preferred ports being a subset ofthe plurality of physical ports and having common line-side featuresassociated therewith.
 6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein eachof the physical ports have one of a busy status and an idle status andwherein determining the connection port from the plurality of preferredports includes determining the status of each of the plurality ofpreferred ports.
 7. A system for connecting a wireless handset to awireline switch in an integrated wireline/wireless telecommunicationsnetwork having a plurality of access controllers and wireline switches,each of the access controllers being coupled to at least one of thewireline switches, the system comprising: a wireless service processoroperative to receive identification of a subscriber in response to acall attempt and determine a preferred connection between the wirelesshandset and one of the plurality of wireline switches based onpredetermined data associated with the subscriber; and the accesscontroller for connecting the wireless handset to one of the pluralityof wireline switches based on the preferred connection so as to completethe call attempt.
 8. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein each ofthe access controllers includes a plurality of physical ports forterminating connections between the access controller and associatedwireline switches and wherein the wireless service processor, indetermining the preferred connection, is further operative to determinea preferred wireline switch from the plurality of wireline switches anda connection port from the plurality of physical ports based on thepredetermined data.
 9. The system as recited in claim 8 wherein thewireless service processor, in determining the preferred wirelineswitch, is further operative to receive the identification of thesubscriber from one of the wireline switches in response to a calldelivery attempt to the wireless handset and determine a home wirelineswitch associated with the wireless handset from the plurality ofwireline switches based on the predetermined data.
 10. The system asrecited in claim 8 wherein the wireless service processor, indetermining the preferred wireline switch, is further operative toreceive the identification of the subscriber from one of the accesscontrollers in response to a call origination attempt by the wirelesshandset and determine at least one wireline switch from a subset of theplurality of wireline switches based on predetermined communicationstraffic data, the subset corresponding to the wireline switches actuallycoupled to the one of the access controllers.
 11. The system as recitedin claim 8 wherein the wireless service processor, in determining theconnection port, is further operative to determine a plurality ofpreferred ports from the plurality of physical ports based on thepredetermined data, the plurality of preferred ports being a subset ofthe plurality of physical ports and having common line-side featuresassociated therewith.
 12. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein eachof the physical ports have one of a busy status and an idle status andwherein the access controller, in connecting the wireless handset to oneof the plurality of wireline switches, is further operative to determinethe status of each of the plurality of preferred ports.